| Citation |
CC-H.780.050
26 Dec 1780:13 (831)
London, August 20. When the King was informed of the
capture of the East and West-India fleets, by Don Louis de
Cordova, he was immediately seized with horrid paroxysms,
indicating the most violent symptoms of that species of
madness, which attends persons in the east, when bit by a
tarantula. Lord North, the chief physician in politics,
sent directly for the band of state fidlers, who having, as
on such occasions is usual, played over several delectable
tunes to humour his Majesty's disorder; they at last fiddled
him into his senses, but he unfortunately relapsed again -
Lord North caught the disorder, and in a moment, with
epidemic swiftness, the whole court by its baneful
influence, were in a state of lunacy---Her Majesty the Queen
leaped out of her bed naked as Venus; and the Prince of
Wales appeared as bare as Apollo of Delphi----The maids of
honor forgot their modesty; the lords in waiting forgot
their breeches. A general tumult ensued. The guards--the
menial domestics---and the lords of the council, with their
secretaries, mingled together in the great anti-chambers,
tag-rag and bobtail, where they danced and capered to and
fro, belly to belly, back in back, right and left, hands
across, &c. . . [11 lines concluding in like manner,
followed by 24 lines of war news, local interest]
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